tion frequently urg'd against Christianity both by its antient and modern Adverfaries; to whom, it seems, it has always appear'd incredible, that a Perfon of fo high Dignity as the Son of God fhould confent to become Man, to live in a mean and defpicable and afflicted Condition, and at length to dye the Death of a Malefactor. -But was it a Work unworthy of this great Perfon to redeem a miferable World? And was it not fitting that He who was to inftruct Men in their Duty, and to guide them to eternal Happiness, should for a while dwell and converfe with them, and live in fuch a Condition as might give him an Opportunity to become an illuftrious Pattern of the moft neglected and difficult Virtues? Was it not reafonable too, that He who was to deliver Sinners from the Wrath of God, fhould fome way or other make Attonement for thofe Sins which had provoked it? And how could He do that better, nay how can we be fure that He could do it any otherwife, than by Suffering inftead of the OffenZ ders?

SERM.

XII.

SERM.

XII.

ders? It was no trivial Concern which brought our Lord from Heaven to Earth; nothing lefs than the Salvation of Mankind was the Defign of His coming into the World. Is it then at all credible, that the Son of God fhould propofe to himself a moft noble and glorious End, and not make ufe of the wifest and most effectual Means for the Accomplishment of it?

THERE is therefore but fmall Force of Argument in this Objection, but there is a great deal of Ingratitude in it. For fhall we take Occafion from the Condefcenfion of the Son of God to despise and reject Him; and to make the Greatness of his Love to us a Pretence for refusing Obedience to his Laws? Surely the lower He humbled himfelf for our Sakes, the higher in all Reafon ought our Gratitude to rife. If we have the leaft Spark of Ingenuity in us, it will be our conftant Endeavour that the whole Earth may be full of His Glory, who became the Son of Man that we might become Sons of God; who quitted the Glo

fies of Heaven for a Manger, for a Cross,
that He might wafh us from our Sins in
his own Blood. What Language can
exprefs fuch noble Acts? What Tongue
of Men or of Angels can fhew forth all
the Praife due to ineffable Goodness, the
Breadth and Length and Depth and
Height of which pafs even the Know-
ledge of a finite Mind? Certainly we,
who were the Objects of this fuperlative
Goodness, can do no less than devote our
whole Lives to the Service of our gene-
rous Benefactor. And fince we can ne-
ver requite Him, we fhould fpare no
Pains to please Him, nor think any thing
too much to do or to fuffer for his Sake.
No Punishment can be thought too fe-
vere for us; there will be no room for
us to expect any Mercy, if we are not
to be oblig'd by numberlefs and inva-
luable Benefits; if Offices of unparallel'd
Friendship done for us while we were
Enemies, cannot endear our Friend to
us; if Love ftronger than Death cannot
éxtort from us fome fuitable Returns of
Thankfulnefs, Love and Obedience.
Z 2

NOT

SERM.

XII.

SERM.
XII.

NOT only Gratitude to our Redeemer, but the Nature of that happy Condition to which He hath called us, exacts from us a Life of strict Holiness and Obedience to the Divine Laws. If we are Sons of God, we must be punctual in the Dif charge of the Duties refulting from that Relation; otherwife we must look for no Bleffing from Him. To call God Father, while we live in Difobedience to his Commands, is in effect to bring an Accufation against our felves; for if He be a Father, where is his Honour?

A COURSE of Iniquity renders us incapable of bearing fo near and honourable a Relation to the Deity. Regeneration is a neceffary Preparative for Adoption; nor can we be the Sons of God, unless we are born again of the Spirit. As many as are led by the Spirit, faith, St. Paul, are the Sons of God. For by the Spirit we are made Partakers of a Divine Nature, and the Divine Per-fections are ftamp'd upon our Souls. The refembling God in our Difpofitions and Actions, the imitating Him as dear

Children, is the fureft Demonftration that we are born of Him. Both the Children of God and the Children of the Devil will do the Works of their Father; by which they are cafily diftinguifhed one from the other.

SERM.

XII.

Again, IF we are Sons of God, this may encourage us to lay before Him all our Wants and Grievances, and to put up our Petitions to Him with firm Confidence, that we fhall receive from Him whatever is neceffary and convenient for us. For, as our Lord very ftrongly argues, What Man is there, who, if his Son ask Bread, will give him a Stone ? Or if he ask a Fish, will give him a Serpent? If then Men that are evil know how to give good Gifts unto their Children, how much more fhall our Father which is in Heaven give good Things unto them that ask him? Add to this, that we have fuch an Interceffor with the Father, as we our felves, if we underftood our own Intereft, would wish for, even Jefus Christ the Righteous; who being by Nature the only Son of God, cannot fail

Zs 3